Gunman in riding centre bloodbath

A FATHER was killed and his son seriously injured yesterday in an early morning gun attack at a popular horse riding centre.

Peter Thompson and his son were shot at the Meadowhead House Farm and Stables

The 53-year-gunman murdered businessman Peter Thompson, 59, before killing himself with the weapon.

Mr Thompson’s 36-year-old son John raised the alarm after being shot in the legs at the family farm near East Kilbride, Lanarkshire.

The wounded electrician crawled to his car and drove two miles to a pub to find help.

Dozens of armed police raced to Meadowhead House Farm and Stables at Auldhouse shortly after 8am. They found the gunman dead in a car and then the body of Peter Thompson.

Last night it emerged that both Peter and John Thompson had been made bankrupt due to business difficulties. Peter Thompson was sequestrated at Hamilton Sheriff Court in 2000 while John was made bankrupt with debts of £256,550 at the same court last year.

John’s paintballing business, which was registered at the family farm in Auldhouse, had been hit with a legal action at the Court of Session in Edinburgh last year.

He had been sued for damages by a man who suffered an injury while paintballing. Mr Thompson had been unable to pay and his ban was due to be in place until April next year.

The busy A726 East Kilbride to Strathaven route was closed to traffic while armed officers prevented vehicles from entering the maze of back roads around the area.

Terrified locals had shuttered their windows as police cars raced along single-track roads to the scene.

Mr Thompson jnr, who had driven to the Auldhouse Arms, was taken by ambulance to Hairmyres Hospital in East Kilbride. He had emergency surgery but his injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.

Police Scotland had last night still not named the gunman, who was a registered firearms owner and not related to the Thompsons.

The force confirmed a firearms unit had also responded to a “linked incident” in the Clarkston area of Glasgow.

That involved a man who is thought to have information about the shooting at Meadowhead Farm.

Superintendent Elaine Ferguson said: “We are not looking for anybody else in relation to this incident and all the firearms are contained to that farm and there is no danger to the public.”

We are not looking for anybody else in relation to this incident and all the firearms are contained to that farm and there is no danger to the public

Superintendent Elaine Ferguson

Superintendent Ferguson added: “The scene has now been handed over to the CID officers. They have attended there with a number of other specialist resources.

“They will conduct their inquiries to find out exactly what the circumstances were that led to this tragic incident.”

A statement from its manager on the farm’s website read: “All lessons and treks cancelled until further notice. Also no liveries permitted on to the yard until further notice. I have dealt with all the horses and they are fine.”

A floral tribute left at the death scene read: “RIP Peter. A true gentleman. You will be sadly missed.”

The equestrian centre was built on land controversially filled with waste by Mr Thompson snr. Part of the area is a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation.

Mr Thompson snr was fined £10,000 by a sheriff for illegal dumping last April after defying an enforcement notice from South Lanarkshire Council.

The local authority also had to spend £330,000 strengthening and repairing roads used by his lorries after a string of complaints from residents.

The dead businessman was also embroiled in a row over access to the site when he leased a field from a nearby farm to allow vehicles in. Nearby property owners lodged a string of complaints.

The landowner, Mattie Drummond, of Skeoch Farm, was subsequently served with enforcement notices.

Mrs Drummond, who died last January, argued that Mr Thompson snr was responsible for planning breaches.

But she lost an appeal heard by a Scottish Government planning official.

A neighbour of the Thompsons said last night: “I couldn’t believe it when I had heard there had been a shooting.

“When I heard that it had been Peter Thompson I was shocked.

“He has had some run-ins with residents here because of his tipping trucks and the havoc they cause for people living here.